Tank-car siphon valve



March 6, 192

E. S. THAYER TANK CAR SIPHON VALVE Original Filed Jan. 26, 1925 fig.)

H oauzv Patented Mar. 6, .1928.

UNITED STATES EDWIN S. THAYER, F OAKDALE, PENNSYLVAITIA.

TANK-GAB mnon var-vs.

Application filed January 26, 1925, Serial No. 4,712. Renewed December 29, 1927.

therefrom. For purposes of illustration one 7 form of the invention useful in connection with tank cars will be described, though it 1s to be understood that the utility of the mechi'sm is not limited to that particular appli cation.

Tank cars as now commonly constructed include valves for controlling the flow of. the 1 contents therefrom and the usual tank' car valve operates to stop the flow of the contentsfrom the tank by a stopper-like action. The control of such valves isusuall had by a long valve stem which is opera le from the dome of a tank car. Usually such valve installations are reenforced against leakage of the contents of the tank in the event of defective valve seating or inoperativeness thereof. Such reenforcement is had By a relatively short pipe extension or casing below the valve, which is closed by a map and washer to seal the outlet. All railroa companies experience considerable 'diflicult m preventing trouble of various kinds m arising on account of the tendency of all valve constructions of the stop er type to leak, become inoperative or eas1 y damaged. This trouble is eatly increased because of the necessity of having tostop leakage from as the valve. into the pipe extension or casing by cappin the casing, thus 'permittin a quantity 0 the tank contents to accumu ate in the pipe extension below the tank where it may'freeze, or where the extension may be u liable to damagg which would allow the contents of the tan Not onl because of actual loss of material is this ob ectionable, but also because of the danger. .which is created because of fire or 6 explosion, particularly if the contents of the.

tank is of an'inflammable character.

Objects of my invention are to roduce an improved construction which wi overcome the obvious objections to the usual tank valve I construction, which is substantially from relatively moving parts, which cannot leak, which cannot become materially dama ed through carelessness or accident and wiich is of greatly reduced cost of installaprovided to seep away onto the track.

tion with no cost involved for maintenance or repair.

These and other objects are attained in the tank siphon valve construction described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental'sectional view of a tank car tank e%1(1)i ped with a siphon valve construction em ying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental sectional view of a portion of a tank having a modified form of my inventionapplied thereto.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I show the body 3- of the tank in section, adome 4 affording access to its interior through a closure 5. Within the tank and exten in upl into the dome somewhat is an -1nverted -s aped element or si hon valve 6 which constitutes the principa element in the embodiment of my invention. This element partakes somewhat of the nature of a siphon in appearance as wellaas in operation during the tank emptying dperation. The element 6 is secured in place within thetank.

Both legs thereof are connected to openings in a casing 7 placed beneath the tank'and in communication therewith to form a sump.

This casing is provided with a chamber 8 which communicates with the interior of the tank through an opening 9, one leg 10 of the I siplhon valve communicating with chamber 8 w ile the other leg 11 communicates with an outlet extension 12 of the casing ad'acent to the chamber. This outlet is closed y a cap 13. At the top of the valve 0. stop-cock 14 is for purposes which will be described.

. A slig is illustrated in Fig. 2. In the arrament there shown a sump casing similar to t e casing 7 is secured to the bottom of the tank, this casin having a chamber 8' servi'n as a sumpan mcommunicationwith the mterior ofthe tank through avalve o ning which may be closed by a valve 15. e leg 11 of the siphon element 6 is connected directly to the chamber 8", while the other leg 10 'is connected toan outlet extension 12' htly modified form of constructionwhich may be closed by a, cap 13, as before. l

The operation of the'first. described form of my invention consists in first closing the extension 12 with a cap 13 and thencl the stop cook 14. The tank iaithen fill.

The compressionof the air in siphon valve 6 will operate to permit the contents to rise only to the level indicated approximately by line 16, but even should the stop cook 14 or extension 12 be left open, the contents can not flow out because it cannot rise over the bend of the valve above the level of the quantity in the tank; Thus any accidental emptying of the tank is. prevented. To empty the tank any of three methods may be employed. In one of these methods it is but necessary to remove cap 13 and then to subject the contents to ressure sufficient to force the fluid over the end of the valve, after which siphonic action will operate to empty the tank completely. In the other method the stop cock 14 is opened and the empty-space in the branches 10 and 11 as well as the bend of the siphon valve are filled with the same fluid as is in the tank, after which the opening of cap 13 will.

permit the entire tank contents to be drawn ofi siphonically. The third method of emptying the tank consists in removing the chamber 8 and flows upwardly in the leg 11 to a level such as that designated 16. By removing the cap 13, siphonic action ma now be started in the usual manner, and suc siphonic flow will continue so long as the valve 15 remains open. If it should be desired to stop the flow, this can be accomplished by operating the valve 15or by breaking the siphon by means of the' valve 14, and the provision of the valve 15 simplifies the control of the flow when the siphon is to be started.

It will be noted that although the element 6 operates as a siphon under ordinary conditions, it is used for the additional purpose of acting as a valve to revent inadvertent emptying of the tank t rough damage or leakage resultin from wear or the parts getting out of a justment. The siphon acts as a seal against removal of the tank contents until such removal is desired, at which time the siphon is brought into action to remove the contents through the usual pipe connections.

Having thus described I claim is:

1. In combm'ation with a tank car, a

my invention what I chamber located beneath the bottom of the tank and having two openings therein, 'a siphon located within the tank with one leg occupying one of said openings, the opposite leg extending through and terminating beneaththe bottom of the tank, the bod of the siphon extending upwardly wi the tank and above the fluld level in the tank to a discharge point, a chamber at the bottom of the tank constituting a sump with which chamber the inlet end of said pipe communicates, a plate se arating the. chamber from the interior of t e tank,

this plate having an opening for receiving the inlet end of said pipe, and a secon constituting a valve port, and aopenin valve -or controlling'said ports 4:. A device for holding and dispensing liquids comprising a tank having a chamber at its bottom constituting a sump, a discharge pipe communicatin with said sum and means for controlling the flow of liquid from said tank into said sump independent of the flow of liquid from the sump. I

5. A device for holding and dispensing liquids comprising a tank provided at its bottom with a chamber constituting a sump, a partition between said tank and said sum a dischar e pipe communicating with said sump, an valve means in said partition forcontrolling the flow of liquid from the tank independent of the flow of liquid from the sump. I

.6. A device for holding and dispensing liquids. comprising a tank having a chamber at its bottom communicating with the interior of the tank and constituting a sump,

means for controlling the flow of liquid ing one end thereof in communication with said sum saiddis'charge conduit constituting a sip on.

A device'for holding and dispensing liquids comprising a tank, a chamberat/the bottom thereof in communication with the interior of the tank and constituting a sump, a siphon pipe having its inlet end connected to the said chamber and extendin upwardly beyond the top wall of the tan]? and then returning to a point below the bottom of the tank, means for controlling the flow of liquid from the tank into the chamber, and

independent means for controlling the flow of liquid from the chamber.

8. A device for holding and dispensinghquids com rising a tank, a chamber at the bottom of. t e tank in communication with 1 o the interior thereof and constituting a separating the th ineridi 'fit means for controlling the flow of liquid from the tank to the chamber, a pipe connected to the chamber and extending upwardly beyond the normal liquid level in ---the-tanlg 1gd then returning to an out tw omof'tlfefiink, the

let point below said pipe constituting a siphon, and means W for admitting-air to the siphon .to break the flow of liquid therethrough.

. 9. A device for holding and dispensing liquids comprisinga tank, a chamber in communication with the tank at the bottom ,aflixed my signature.

the tank, means for controlling the flow of liquid from the tank through the partition into the chamber, a piple having an intake and connected to the c amber and extending upwardly through the toiiwall of the tank to a high ointfromw ch the pipe leads downward to anoutletpoint below the anaemia pipe and means at the said high point for admitting air to the pipe to break the siphon flow.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto EDWIN. s.

constituting a siphon, 7 A 

